I've always wondered where EV users think the power used to charge their battery comes from. Your right, coal and natural gas. To me atomic energy seems the best answer for now. It takes years to get one of those plants up and running though. And accidents like Chernobyl, Three Mile Island and Fukushima have soured many on the prospect of building more nuclear plants. Those accidents were man made, nuclear energy actually has a stellar safety record. Nuclear power and new EV battery technology could be an answer to our natural resources problem.
As for our Musk problem lead comes to mind hmmmmm.
As a Tesla owner, I have become extremely uncomfortable with Musk’s descent into fascism and general antisocial behavior, and he needs to be called out, as you have done.
However, I’m surprised and troubled at your regurgitation of oil-industry messaging on electric cars. Every objective study, including those by the world’s most esteemed research institutions, including MIT and Cambridge, have concluded that EVs are far less environmentally damaging over their lifetimes than are internal-combustion vehicles. Yes, mining for their battery components is a dirty business, but so is the oil drilling-transportation-refining-delivery process.
Meanwhile, EV sales continue to soar year after year as sales of gas vehicles continue a long downward trend.
John - I suppose I should have been more clear in that section of my piece but it was already getting long. I am not against electric vehicles and it is blatantly obvious to even oil industry folks that change has to be made and is coming. I just don't think we are there with lithium ion batteries, but even the oil companies are looking at hydrogen fuel cells for cars. The only by-product using that technology is water vapor, though it is still in development. I also believe there should continue to be subsidies for the development of alternative fuel vehicles just as there continue to be massive subsidies and tax breaks for fossil fuel companies. My belief, though, is that we are way out over our skis with current EV tech. I think the more circumspect approach being practiced by Toyota, relying on hybrids to reduce fossil fuel demands and refine technology, makes a bit more sense for now. And, no, I don't believe we have accurately worked out the calculus for energy consumption on a Tesla over the course of its lifetime, which should include not just charging the battery but mining the rare earth materials, and manufacturing the batteries. I think right now it might be the equivalent of using ethanol in gasoline. Requires more energy to produce than it creates. But admittedly I'm no expert.
I've always wondered where EV users think the power used to charge their battery comes from. Your right, coal and natural gas. To me atomic energy seems the best answer for now. It takes years to get one of those plants up and running though. And accidents like Chernobyl, Three Mile Island and Fukushima have soured many on the prospect of building more nuclear plants. Those accidents were man made, nuclear energy actually has a stellar safety record. Nuclear power and new EV battery technology could be an answer to our natural resources problem.
As for our Musk problem lead comes to mind hmmmmm.
As a Tesla owner, I have become extremely uncomfortable with Musk’s descent into fascism and general antisocial behavior, and he needs to be called out, as you have done.
However, I’m surprised and troubled at your regurgitation of oil-industry messaging on electric cars. Every objective study, including those by the world’s most esteemed research institutions, including MIT and Cambridge, have concluded that EVs are far less environmentally damaging over their lifetimes than are internal-combustion vehicles. Yes, mining for their battery components is a dirty business, but so is the oil drilling-transportation-refining-delivery process.
Meanwhile, EV sales continue to soar year after year as sales of gas vehicles continue a long downward trend.
John - I suppose I should have been more clear in that section of my piece but it was already getting long. I am not against electric vehicles and it is blatantly obvious to even oil industry folks that change has to be made and is coming. I just don't think we are there with lithium ion batteries, but even the oil companies are looking at hydrogen fuel cells for cars. The only by-product using that technology is water vapor, though it is still in development. I also believe there should continue to be subsidies for the development of alternative fuel vehicles just as there continue to be massive subsidies and tax breaks for fossil fuel companies. My belief, though, is that we are way out over our skis with current EV tech. I think the more circumspect approach being practiced by Toyota, relying on hybrids to reduce fossil fuel demands and refine technology, makes a bit more sense for now. And, no, I don't believe we have accurately worked out the calculus for energy consumption on a Tesla over the course of its lifetime, which should include not just charging the battery but mining the rare earth materials, and manufacturing the batteries. I think right now it might be the equivalent of using ethanol in gasoline. Requires more energy to produce than it creates. But admittedly I'm no expert.
it’s not a good thing for a person to plan for the future while harboring visions of a horrible past.